Dana White Rules Out UFC Return For Francis Ngannou

UFC president Dana White has ruled out doing business with former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, further reducing the possibility of the Cameroonian-born fighter returning to the organisation.

White made the comments during an appearance on Nightcap, where he was asked about the possibility of a fight between Ngannou and retired former UFC champion Jon Jones. Ngannou left the UFC in January 2023 after a prolonged dispute with White over his contract and future with the promotion, with the heavyweight title stripped from him following his departure.

“Listen, Ngannou is on my Oscar De La Hoya list. Look at the history of Francis Ngannou and the other companies he’s been with. He’s a bad guy and I’m at a point in my life where I just don’t want to do business with bad guys. I just don’t,” White said.

Ngannou joined the Professional Fighters League after leaving the UFC and became chairman of PFL Africa. He competed once for the promotion, defeating Renan Ferreira in 2024, before leaving in March 2026. He has since focused on boxing, facing former heavyweight world champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

A return to the UFC has remained unlikely because of Ngannou’s strained relationship with White, while Jones has also retired from mixed martial arts. White praised Jones during the interview, describing him in similarly strong terms.

“Jon Jones is the baddest dude to ever walk the face of the earth. People always bust my balls when I say it, Jon Jones is not just a stone cold killer, that guy’s dark. He’s dark,” White said.